Just back from our 9 day tour of France. Total 2800 km. Weather was superb; 1/2 hour of rain in the southern most part of the trip otherwise hot. Over 34 degrees in the first 5 days an then cooler 25 -27. Anyway below is the route and hotels with some photos of same for those that are interested. We started from Rotterdam leaving the meeting point (MacDonald's Charlois) at 1000. for those that have used the Hook to Harwich ferry, this would fit in nicely with a UK crossing option. All hotels were booked through the Logis de France website and were all very good. Food was amazing if you like your French cooking. Breakfasts - also typical French which for us left us a bit short in terms of calorie intake.... We budgeted EURO 200 per day including accommodation, food and petrol and it turned out to be pretty accurate as well.
Day 1 - Rotterdam to Vienne le Chateau - 379km - mostly motorway to get to the northern part of France and through Belgium as quickly as possible.
Overnight stay at the Hotel le Tulipier. Very nice hotel, simple but good; rooms and the cuisine was excellent. They have a pool so after 300k in the saddle it was a welcome surprise.
Day 2 - Vienne le Chateau to Carree les Tombes (Morvan) - 258km. Lovely country roads heading south through the Champagne region of France and down into the Morvan area. Overnight was in the Hotel le Morvan which also had great rooms with aircon - needed for the 37 degrees we had upon arrival. The kitchen was absolutely magnificent.
Day 3 - Carree les Tombes to St Sauves D'Auvergne - 315KM. Again great trip heading South. Overnight stay was at the Hotel de la Poste. Again lovely hotel but it only as 3 rooms so beware! Restaurant was closed so we drove 5 km down the road to La Bourboule which lies on the Dordogne River. Plenty of options here. We went for the Comptoir Cyrano on the main street. Good food and drinks at reasonable prices.
Day 4 - St Sauves to Cajarc - 285km. Proabalby the most spectacular riding of the 9 days. After some great winding roads the route takes you up high into the mountains at around 1400 m. Very narrow in parts and very twisty. Gets a bit windy on the top but the views are superb. Back down to the town of Cajarc and a stay at the Hotel La Peyrade. Probably the simplest of all the rooms but cozy and comfortable anyway. Food was adequate but not up to the usual ''blue'' label we tend to chose for the Logis hotels. Owner and chef is a proud Man U supporter so unless you want your food in you lap be nice about his footie preference!
driving up towards the pass at Le Lioran, Parc national de L'Aubrac
Day 5 - Cajarc to Puisseguin - 255km. Great route along the river Lot firstly then upwards toward the Dordogne and along the Dordogne all the way as far as St Emillion. Then a trip north through the wineries to our rest spot, Chateau Fleur de Roques. Here the accommodation was superb. Beautiful setting in an old wine Chateau completely refurbished. It was quite expensive at 140 Euro per night but it did have a pool as well. Dinner was less than expected. They had the ''blue'' coding but we underastood the place had very recently changed hands and they were still looking for a good chef. Nevertheless it was really a great place to stay.
Chateau Fleur de Roques
Chateau Fleur du Roques
Day 6 - Puissiguin to Montcoutant - 257km. After riding through great wine country we headed due north along great sweeping bends getting up a bit of speed. Country turns flatter again as we headed north. Overnight stay was at the Hotel St Pierre. It looks a bit like a roadside hotel with a restaurant but totally the contrary. Great small rooms with aircon and the restaurant again well worthy of the ''blue'' rating.
top of the pass at Lioran
River Lot
Day 7 - Montcoutant to Clecy - 284km. Continuing the route north across quite flat county heading into Normandy. The last few km are heading into the ''Swiss'' Normandy region which is where our overnight stay was in the Village of Clecy. Hotel au site Normande is a pleasant albeit a bit dated hotel. Parking is not great and is away from the hotel but perfectly safe for the bikes. Rooms were tired but again the food was very good.
Day 8 - Clecy to Bremicourt. 315km. A longer day but again due to the nature of the roads quite do-able given the speeds at which you can travel over them. Just be aware of the proverbial cameras in France. The final overnight stay and we kept the best to last. We stayed at the La Cour de Remi. This is in the grounds of the Chateau de Bremicourt. The old Chateau belongs to the owner of the hotel. The rooms are in the old stables and are spacious and very comfortable. The restaurant is superb and the whole ambience rather special. There is a memorial in the garden to the 1915 tank regiment. Apparently the Chateau was the HQ of this tank regiment during WW1. A real nice end to our tour!
La Cour de Remi
La Cour de Remi
Day 9 - Bremicourt to Rotterdam. 322km. Final leg back through Belgium to Rotterdam. The first part we travelled north through the Pas du Callais and then once over the border by Gent motorway back via Antwerp and home to Rotterdam.
Day 1 - Rotterdam to Vienne le Chateau - 379km - mostly motorway to get to the northern part of France and through Belgium as quickly as possible.
Overnight stay at the Hotel le Tulipier. Very nice hotel, simple but good; rooms and the cuisine was excellent. They have a pool so after 300k in the saddle it was a welcome surprise.
Day 2 - Vienne le Chateau to Carree les Tombes (Morvan) - 258km. Lovely country roads heading south through the Champagne region of France and down into the Morvan area. Overnight was in the Hotel le Morvan which also had great rooms with aircon - needed for the 37 degrees we had upon arrival. The kitchen was absolutely magnificent.
Day 3 - Carree les Tombes to St Sauves D'Auvergne - 315KM. Again great trip heading South. Overnight stay was at the Hotel de la Poste. Again lovely hotel but it only as 3 rooms so beware! Restaurant was closed so we drove 5 km down the road to La Bourboule which lies on the Dordogne River. Plenty of options here. We went for the Comptoir Cyrano on the main street. Good food and drinks at reasonable prices.
Day 4 - St Sauves to Cajarc - 285km. Proabalby the most spectacular riding of the 9 days. After some great winding roads the route takes you up high into the mountains at around 1400 m. Very narrow in parts and very twisty. Gets a bit windy on the top but the views are superb. Back down to the town of Cajarc and a stay at the Hotel La Peyrade. Probably the simplest of all the rooms but cozy and comfortable anyway. Food was adequate but not up to the usual ''blue'' label we tend to chose for the Logis hotels. Owner and chef is a proud Man U supporter so unless you want your food in you lap be nice about his footie preference!
driving up towards the pass at Le Lioran, Parc national de L'Aubrac
Day 5 - Cajarc to Puisseguin - 255km. Great route along the river Lot firstly then upwards toward the Dordogne and along the Dordogne all the way as far as St Emillion. Then a trip north through the wineries to our rest spot, Chateau Fleur de Roques. Here the accommodation was superb. Beautiful setting in an old wine Chateau completely refurbished. It was quite expensive at 140 Euro per night but it did have a pool as well. Dinner was less than expected. They had the ''blue'' coding but we underastood the place had very recently changed hands and they were still looking for a good chef. Nevertheless it was really a great place to stay.
Chateau Fleur de Roques
Chateau Fleur du Roques
Day 6 - Puissiguin to Montcoutant - 257km. After riding through great wine country we headed due north along great sweeping bends getting up a bit of speed. Country turns flatter again as we headed north. Overnight stay was at the Hotel St Pierre. It looks a bit like a roadside hotel with a restaurant but totally the contrary. Great small rooms with aircon and the restaurant again well worthy of the ''blue'' rating.
top of the pass at Lioran
River Lot
Day 7 - Montcoutant to Clecy - 284km. Continuing the route north across quite flat county heading into Normandy. The last few km are heading into the ''Swiss'' Normandy region which is where our overnight stay was in the Village of Clecy. Hotel au site Normande is a pleasant albeit a bit dated hotel. Parking is not great and is away from the hotel but perfectly safe for the bikes. Rooms were tired but again the food was very good.
Day 8 - Clecy to Bremicourt. 315km. A longer day but again due to the nature of the roads quite do-able given the speeds at which you can travel over them. Just be aware of the proverbial cameras in France. The final overnight stay and we kept the best to last. We stayed at the La Cour de Remi. This is in the grounds of the Chateau de Bremicourt. The old Chateau belongs to the owner of the hotel. The rooms are in the old stables and are spacious and very comfortable. The restaurant is superb and the whole ambience rather special. There is a memorial in the garden to the 1915 tank regiment. Apparently the Chateau was the HQ of this tank regiment during WW1. A real nice end to our tour!
La Cour de Remi
La Cour de Remi
Day 9 - Bremicourt to Rotterdam. 322km. Final leg back through Belgium to Rotterdam. The first part we travelled north through the Pas du Callais and then once over the border by Gent motorway back via Antwerp and home to Rotterdam.
